Sports Law
Monckton Chambers has considerable expertise in the field of pure sports law and vast experience in the fields of overlap between sports law and all aspects of commercial EU law, most notably competition law, freedom of movement and cross-border trading.
Particular aspects of sports law covered include: disciplinary procedures and hearings, broadcasting, transfers, regulatory oversight, licensing, dominance of governing bodies, breakaway leagues, ground and TV advertising, kit supply and markings, corporate hospitality, new competition entrants, 'home grown' player requirements, doping and doping sanctions, corporate governance, discrimination between participants, brand advertising, kit and equipment rules, valuation of rights, passing off, ticketing, data rights, undue influence, duress, agency and much more.
This experience sees members making regular appearances in all manner of specialist sports courts and tribunals, including: FA arbitrations and disciplinary hearings; Premier League disciplinary tribunals and arbitrations; 6 Nations disciplinary tribunals; the Court of Arbitration for Sport; the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber; the Sports Dispute Resolution Panel; and the FIA International Court of Appeal; and so on.
We also have unparalleled experience in sports disputes before the European Court of Justice, the Court of First Instance, the European Commission, the Competition Appeal Tribunal and the Competition Commission, as well as litigating regularly in the High Court and above.
Notable cases include (please click on the links for details):
- Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Services Ltd & Others v Amalgamated Racing Ltd & Others (Court of Appeal)
- Ferrari and Others v Federation Internationale de l'Automobile and Brawn GP (FIA Court of Appeal)
- Football Association Premier League Limited and Others v QC Leisure (A Trading Name) and Others (Chancery Division)
- Lewis Hamilton v Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA Court of Appeal)
- Sheffield United FC v West Ham United FC (London Court of International Arbitration)
- British Amateur Weightlifters Association (Court of Arbitration for Sport)
- Mauro Bergamasco v Carlo Del Fava (6 Nations Disciplinary)
- Gabriel Heinze v Manchester United FC (Premier League Tribunal)
- Attheraces Ltd v The British Horseracing Board Ltd (Court of Appeal)
- Adidas v ITF & others (High Court)
- Andrew Hall and others v England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB Appeal Hearing)
- Jon Obi Mikel & Chelsea v Manchester United FC (FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber)
- Manchester City FC v Joe Royle (Court of Appeal)
- R (TVDanmark 1 Ltd) v Independent Television Commission (House of Lords)
Other recent sports disputes include: the Indian Premier League (cricket), SuperAguri (motor racing), MSM Singapore (cricket broadcasting), rugby league salary cap, Westminster Hospitality (rugby union), Shand and Others (swimming).
Members of Monckton Chambers belong to the British Association of Sport and the Law (BASL), of which one member is currently Deputy Chairman.
6/7/2010 Monckton Chambers launches Merger Control Group
30/6/2010 Melanie Hall QC speaks at the The Chartered Institute of Taxation's VAT Conference
25/6/2010 ECJ Hands Down Judgment in Vodafone 'Roaming' Case
2/11/2010 ABA Section of International Law ~ 2010 Fall Meeting
13/10/2010 Managing Competition Risk & Compliance
12/10/2010 GCR Antitrust Litigation 2010 ~ Enforcing Competition Law in the UK, Europe and the US
30/9/2010 Damages Actions for Breach of Antitrust Rules
R (on the application of Low) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] I.C.R. 755
Mobilx Ltd (In Administration) and others v HMRC
Case T-448/05 Oxley Thread v Commission, judgment of the General Court




